Upland Sandpiper

Upland Sandpiper

Taxobox
name = Upland Sandpiper
status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1


image_width = 200px
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Aves
ordo = Charadriiformes
familia = Scolopacidae
genus = "Bartramia"
Lesson, 1831
species = "B. longicauda"
binomial = "Bartramia longicauda"
binomial_authority = (Bechstein, 1812)
The Upland Sandpiper, "Bartramia longicauda", is a large shorebird, closely related to the curlews (Thomas, 2004). Older names are the Upland Plover and Bartram's Sandpiper. It is the only member of the genus "Bartramia". The genus name and the old common name Bartram's Sandpiper commemorate the American naturalist William Bartram. The name "Bartram's Sandpiper" was made popular by Alexander Wilson, who was taught ornithology and natural history illustration by Bartram.

Description

The adult is 28-32 cm long with a 50-55 cm wingspan. It has long yellow legs and a long neck and tail. The head and neck are light with brown streaks. The back and upper wings are a darker mottled brown and the belly is white.

Distribution and habitat

The breeding habitat is open grasslands and fields across central North America and Alaska, it is not associated with water like other sandpipers. It is a long distance migrant and winters in South America. It is a very rare vagrant to Europe, notably the Isles of Scilly, where it can be extremely tame, with at least one bird taking worms from a birder's mouth.

Behaviour

Upland Sandpipers forage in fields, picking up food by sight. They are frequently sighted on fence posts or even telephone poles.

Breeding

Upland Sandpipers can sometimes be found in small loose nesting colonies. The breeding season is from early to late summer; nests are located on the ground in dense grass. The female lays 4 eggs; both parents look after the young and may perform distraction displays to lure predators away from the nest or young birds.

Food

They mainly eat insects and some vegetation.

Call

They can be identified by their very distinctive call which sounds like a series of descending whistles.

Conservation

The numbers of these birds increased as forests were cleared in the early 19th century, but declined sharply in the late 1800s due to hunting. They are now fairly common in Midwestern North America but populations are scattered in the east.

References

* Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

* Hayman, Peter; Marchant, John & Prater, Tony (1986): "Shorebirds: an identification guide to the waders of the world". Houghton Mifflin, Boston. ISBN 0-395-60237-8

* Thomas, Gavin H.; Wills, Matthew A. & Székely, Tamás (2004): A supertree approach to shorebird phylogeny. "BMC Evol. Biol." 4: 28. doi|10.1186/1471-2148-4-28 [http://www.pubmedcentral.org/picrender.fcgi?artid=515296&blobtype=pdf PDF fulltext] [http://www.pubmedcentral.org/articlerender.fcgi?artid=515296#supplementary-material-sec Supplementary Material]

External links

* [http://www.mbr-pwrc.usgs.gov/id/framlst/i2610id.html Upland Sandpiper - "Bartramia longicauda"] - USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter
* [http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Upland_Sandpiper.html Upland Sandpiper Species Account] - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
* [http://www.sdakotabirds.com/species/upland_sandpiper_info.htm Upland Sandpiper Information and Photos] - South Dakota Birds and Birding
* [http://www.bsc-eoc.org/avibase/species.jsp?lang=EN&id=1D0730986303A648&ts=1220255571505&sec=summary Avibase]


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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Upland sandpiper — Upland Up land, a. 1. Of or pertaining to uplands; being on upland; high in situation; as, upland inhabitants; upland pasturage. [1913 Webster] Sometimes, with secure delight The upland hamlets will invite. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. Pertaining to …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • upland sandpiper — ☆ upland sandpiper n. a large, short billed sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) found in the fields and uplands of the interior of North and South America: formerly called upland plover …   English World dictionary

  • upland sandpiper — bartramija statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas atitikmenys: lot. Bartramia longicauda angl. upland sandpiper vok. Prärieläufer, m rus. бартрамия, f; длиннохвостый песочник, m pranc. maubèche des champs, f ryšiai: platesnis terminas –… …   Paukščių pavadinimų žodynas

  • upland sandpiper — noun large plover like sandpiper of North American fields and uplands • Syn: ↑upland plover, ↑Bartramian sandpiper, ↑Bartramia longicauda • Hypernyms: ↑sandpiper • Member Holonyms: ↑Bartramia, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

  • upland sandpiper — a large, field inhabiting sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda, of eastern North America, resembling a plover: now protected and increasing in numbers. Also called upland plover, Bartramian sandpiper. [1825 35, Amer.] * * * …   Universalium

  • upland sandpiper — noun Date: circa 1890 a large short billed American sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) that frequents fields and prairies called also upland plover …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • upland sandpiper — up′land sand′piper n. orn a short billed North American sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda, of grasslands and cultivated fields • Etymology: 1825–35 …   From formal English to slang

  • Upland — Up land, a. 1. Of or pertaining to uplands; being on upland; high in situation; as, upland inhabitants; upland pasturage. [1913 Webster] Sometimes, with secure delight The upland hamlets will invite. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. Pertaining to the… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Upland moccasin — Upland Up land, a. 1. Of or pertaining to uplands; being on upland; high in situation; as, upland inhabitants; upland pasturage. [1913 Webster] Sometimes, with secure delight The upland hamlets will invite. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. Pertaining to …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Upland plover — Upland Up land, a. 1. Of or pertaining to uplands; being on upland; high in situation; as, upland inhabitants; upland pasturage. [1913 Webster] Sometimes, with secure delight The upland hamlets will invite. Milton. [1913 Webster] 2. Pertaining to …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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